jobs and employment	266
economics	208
state and local government	192
education	191
indiana	177
economic development	175
taxes	149
budget and spending	149
law and public policy	149
workforce and human capital	143

Commentaries tagged with unemployment and the labor market

June 15, 2025	Economic Freedom Is Essential, but It Isn’t Just TaxesBusinesses and households prioritize standard of living among other factors.
May 25, 2025	Previewing the Long-Term Effects of TariffsThe dominant effect of the Trump tariffs will be to raise production costs on almost every American manufacturing firm.
May 11, 2025	Trump’s Tariff Recession Is HereMy new forecast, completed in late April, predicts a national recession began as early as March in reaction to Trump’s tarriffs.
April 13, 2025	The Stupidest of PoliciesThis whipsawing of tariff rates has unnerved financial markets, which on Wednesday, were toying with a liquidity crisis.
March 23, 2025	What the Census Tells Hoosiers About the FutureKeeping things the same really isn’t an option for communities.
January 19, 2025	My 2025 ForecastThe Hoosier economy is growing, but at the same time falling further behind the rest of the nation.
December 15, 2024	Indiana’s Commission on Higher Education Issues an Eye-Opening ReportOur current level of educational attainment and college attendance rates puts us squarely in the bottom 10 states and territories.
September 29, 2024	The Soft Landing MiracleThe hard part was ending inflation without also causing a recession.
September 15, 2024	IEDC’s Unhappy 20th AnniversaryIndiana must become a place where education and skills of people form the central mission of state and local economic development policies.
September 1, 2024	Urban Growth Dominates the US Economy – and Puts Rural Places at RiskEducation becomes more important as more people become educated.
July 14, 2024	We Are Nearing Fed Rate CutsAll the talk of a crashing, risk-filled economy where people are struggling is unsupported by actual data.
July 7, 2024	Freedom Is DifficultSimply living in the United States is as easy as it gets, and almost always has been.
April 28, 2024	We Botched Our Last Curriculum Reform, We Cannot Do So This TimeA very good idea can become very bad public policy when executed poorly.
March 31, 2024	The Political Economy of InflationThe public seems to prefer high unemployment to high inflation.
March 10, 2024	Are We in the Early Stages of a Long Economic Boom?Economists aren’t yet sure why labor productivity is growing, but I can offer two educated guesses.
June 18, 2023	New Labor Market Data Is Eye Opening But Under UsedThere’s been more data created on labor and education in the past 25 years than in the preceding 25 centuries.
April 2, 2023	The Five Skills Employers Tell Me They NeedI’ve asked countless numbers of leaders in business, government, military, and organizations.
February 12, 2023	What Is Happening to Labor Supply?Wishing to employ someone is not the same as labor demand.
January 22, 2023	Some Labor Market Facts You Won’t Read ElsewhereIndiana is simply not producing a 21st century workforce.
October 30, 2022	Remarkable Productivity Growth in Hospitality and TourismA more productive business requires—and hires—fewer workers.
October 9, 2022	A Recession Is Time to Think About the Long TermManufacturing employment is now a smaller part of our economy than it was in previous downturns.
September 4, 2022	Lingering Effects of COVID on WorkThe U.S. is still about 1.0 percent below its pre-COVID participation rate.
July 17, 2022	My 750th ColumnColumns like mine are designed to help people think about issues they might otherwise not read about.
January 23, 2022	Indiana’s Long-Term Economic Prospects Are PoorState policymakers should be deeply alarmed about a return to a ‘normal’ economy.
January 2, 2022	2021 Was an Unnecessarily Horrible YearFrom political unrest to vaccination and economic woes, this year was heavy.
December 12, 2021	The 2022 ForecastFrom retail and restaurants to logistics and manufacturing firms, the U.S. economy has been astonishingly resilient.
October 3, 2021	Automation and Today’s Labor Market ChallengesThe process of workers matching with employers is messy and slow.
September 26, 2021	What’s Happening in Labor MarketsWork environments and wages, as well as cost of care services, heavily influence choices in the current labor market.
August 29, 2021	COVID Reveals Regional InequalityThe latest jobs report captures the geographic clustering of COVID and economic performance.
August 8, 2021	The Inflation Puzzle, Partly SolvedInflation reduces the standard of living of families and slows economic growth.
July 25, 2021	Ending the Pandemic UI Was a Rare Mistake by This AdministrationThe pandemic unemployment insurance payments were as close to a ‘free lunch’ for Hoosier taxpayers as anything we’ll ever receive.
June 6, 2021	What Economists Got Right and Wrong about COVIDShifts in labor, occupational structure, and community amenities influence the degree of recovery.
May 30, 2021	Pay Shortage, Not Labor ShortageThe most relevant data is not on the quantity of jobs, but the wages that indicate whether or not there is a labor shortage.
May 9, 2021	Mother’s Day Thoughts in the Wake of COVIDThe experience of women in the labor force has differed from that of men in key respects.
May 2, 2021	Why Are We Hearing About a Labor Shortage?Government benefits are not to blame.
April 4, 2021	Inflation Is Not Our Top ProblemRecession effects are influenced by the tradeoff between unemployment and inflation.
February 7, 2021	Indiana’s Lagging Educational AttainmentFinancial security without a college degree is possible but not probable.
December 27, 2020	Some Thoughts on the Coal EconomyMany of the cities and towns born in the Industrial Revolution have lost their original economic reason for being.
November 22, 2020	Some New and Better Data About Labor MarketsWorker benefits and child care options may affect labor participation.
November 15, 2020	It’s the Disease Wrecking the Economy, Not the Government ResponseWe Americans are stubborn people, for both good and ill.
September 27, 2020	COVID May Amplify Factory Job TrendsFor manufacturing, production continues to grow and employment continues to decline.
September 13, 2020	Confusing Economic Statistics in the Time of COVID-19Americans should be pleased with the economists, statisticians and data scientists examining our complex economic climate.
August 16, 2020	State and Local Tax Support Is an Urgent NeedWhile many businesses are able to adapt, the underlying loss of permanent jobs is alarming.
August 2, 2020	Our Poor Response to COVID-19 Pushes Us to the Edge of a DepressionShutdowns disguise two indicators of a weak economy.
June 14, 2020	Nearly One in Five US Workers Lost Their Job Since MarchThe labor market shrank by more than 6 million workers in three months.
May 31, 2020	The Pandemic’s Damage Is Long TermWe must honestly acknowledge the potential depth and duration of the downturn.
March 22, 2020	Time for Timidity Is OverThe direction of our economy depends on the path of this disease and how we respond.
September 22, 2019	The Fed’s Role in Uncertain TimesIn 1947, Congress directed the Federal Reserve to keep both unemployment and inflation low.
March 24, 2019	A Frank Column on Education, Subsidies and PayWe should be very careful about promoting job training in careers that offer low wages.
July 23, 2017	Automation, Trade and Urbanization Require More Resilient People and PlacesOur study implies that regional inequality might be poised for a big increase.
February 19, 2017	Technology Related Job Losses of the Last CenturyTechnological changes led to a shift of 1.5 million jobs from one industry alone in Indiana.
August 7, 2016	Labor Force Participation and ConspiraciesThe labor force does not include those who are not actively searching for or working in a job.
July 31, 2016	Labor Markets and InequalityFixing labor market inequality is no easy task.
May 1, 2016	The Future of Ivy TechA nearby state sets an excellent example of an efficient community college model.
August 16, 2015	What Drives the Fed Rate Hike Decision?What is the nature of their agreement and disagreements and how does it play into the public debate over economic policy?
July 26, 2015	A Teacher Shortage?Changes in the unemployment rate and student enrollment levels affect the true supply and demand for teachers.
May 3, 2015	No Jobs for High School Grads Since 2009Job creation has occurred only for workers with an education beyond the high school diploma.
April 6, 2014	Simple Economics Lessons for Hard TimesFar too much worry is placed in the short-term ups and downs of the economy.
March 2, 2014	The Minimum Wage Debate Is a Complex OneAn increase in minimum wage will lead to a decrease in jobs.
June 30, 2013	The Fed and Economic TheoryPolitical folklore has it that economists are infamously divided between explanations for the cause of the boom-and-bust cycle.
May 12, 2013	Labor Markets Continue to SufferThe employment data we read about treat all jobs the same, whether they are 15 hours or 45 per week.
May 12, 2013	Labor Markets Continue to SufferThe employment data we read about treat all jobs the same, whether they are 15 hours or 45 per week.
February 17, 2013	Let’s Try a $25 Minimum WageLabor markets are subject to the laws of supply and demand.
February 3, 2013	The Recession Is HereThere has been no quarterly decline in GDP on record without a recession.
January 27, 2013	Middle Class and Income InequalityThe middle class was built upon an abundance of well-paying but relatively low-skilled jobs.
January 13, 2013	Why Is the Unemployment Rate Still So High?In short, it took nearly all of us to make this happen.
January 13, 2013	Why Is the Unemployment Rate Still So High?In short, it took nearly all of us to make this happen.
October 14, 2012	Not Lying, Just Bad News in Employment NumbersOne out of every 17 workers are part-time workers due to an ailing economy.
July 2, 2012	US Job Market and the EU CrisisOne need not have done well in math to appreciate that the creation of 150,000 new jobs per month is insufficient to budge the unemployment rate.
April 9, 2012	Types of UnemploymentThe difficulty [of estimating the unemployment rate] lies not in the statistical analysis or in the quality of the data, but in the fact that people change.
April 9, 2012	Types of UnemploymentThe difficulty [of estimating the unemployment rate] lies not in the statistical analysis or in the quality of the data, but in the fact that people change.
January 3, 2012	A New Year’s ReviewThe New Year is a time of reflection. For someone who comments upon the economy and provides analysis and forecasts, it should be a time to take stock and be honest about where I was right and wrong. I begin with my errors.
December 12, 2011	Monetary Policy for Our TimesThis week in Muncie, Dr. Evans amplified his proposal to accept the risk of higher inflation to potentially cure high unemployment.
June 27, 2011	Unemployment Compensation and the Incentive to WorkWhen you pay people not to work, the propensity to work declines.
February 21, 2011	Unemployment and Economic GrowthThe problem is we now have 7 million people who businesses really don’t need.
February 21, 2011	Unemployment and Economic GrowthThe problem is we now have 7 million people who businesses really don’t need.
October 18, 2010	Why the Stimulus Didn’t Stimulate Enough. . . the stimulus kept the unemployment rate from rising to about 12 percent at a cost of $225,000 per job.
September 27, 2010	The End of a RecessionThe slow and uneven job growth combined with shockingly fast productivity growth eerily signals that much of our economy has gone through a structural change.
September 20, 2010	Business Locations: Taxes, Clusters and WorkersOver the long run, and especially during the good times when labor markets are tight, firms worry most about the availability of workers.
August 16, 2010	Expectations and the Sluggish Recovery ..weighty confusion of federal policy has cost us an astounding 3.3 million jobs
April 26, 2010	The Unemployment StorySomewhere between 6 and 9 months after the end of the recession job growth will commence in earnest.
December 15, 2009	Forecast Grim for 2009The steepest job losses and declines in earnings are happening right now and will continue through the first three months of 2009.
August 3, 2009	Implications of Structural UnemploymentWe are under robust international competitive pressure for continual improvements by both workers and industry.
June 29, 2009	What is Driving Current Unemployment?Structural unemployment comes about when the skills of a worker become redundant.
February 9, 2009	Unemployment Duration Lengthens and Job Losses ContinueThe next couple months will still be rocky, but not significantly worse than the three months we’ve just passed.
October 15, 2007	Globalization and Manufacturing in Indiana "The fundamental cause of most of our manufacturing job loses is simply increasing worker productivity.”
April 22, 2005	Another Unemployment Rate Riddle "Due to an unexpectedly large surge in unemployment in the first two months of 2005, the state’s unemployment rate now stands above the national average for the first time since 1987."
February 18, 2005	Hard Times for Our Northern Neighbor "For the state that is the center of the automotive universe, headquarters of two of the three largest vehicle manufacturers in the world, you would think that these would be good times for Michigan."
March 19, 2004	Where Are the Jobs? "...blaming corporations or foreign trade for destroying jobs is like blaming rain and sunshine for destroying crops"
March 12, 2004	Revising Indiana's Job Loss Ranking "Revising the employment numbers didn’t pull silk out of a sow’s ear, to be sure, but it erased a bit of the shame we endured last year."
February 20, 2004	New Data Put State Economy in Better Light " ... the job data say that the recession-related job declines essentially stopped in the spring of 2002, or more than twelve months earlier than previously published."
January 16, 2004	The Indiana Economy at Year's End " ... in Indiana in 2003 manufacturing was hardly the only sector in the red."
December 19, 2003	What the Employment Statistics Really Tell Us "Although Indiana's job gains of almost one percent since the year's mid-point are encouraging, we would need to gain another 80,000 jobs statewide just to catch up with the rest of the nation."
October 17, 2003	Midwest Marches to a Different Drummer "From Wisconsin to Kentucky, west to Illinois and east to Ohio forms a block of states whose employment losses have been among the largest in the nation."
September 12, 2003	Getting Used to Stagnant Job Growth "There is no "bounce-back" in hiring in the aftermath of recession because employers have made adjustments to permanently eliminate the need for the lost jobs. "
May 9, 2003	Is Indiana's Economy Still Getting Worse? "The preliminary April employment totals, as adjusted for seasonal variation by the Bureau of Business Research, were down by 39,000 jobs statewide from their high point at the beginning of this year."
February 28, 2003	The Message of the 2001 Recession "When you look at manufacturing employment, the recession of 2001 has been nearly twice as severe as the recession of 1991 and is only eclipsed by the devastating downturn we experienced in 1982 in terms of job loss."
January 24, 2003	Is Indiana Job Growth As Bad As They Say? "Throughout this entire recession, unemployment rates have been lower in our state than the national average -- by at least a full percentage point. Are we really better off than everyone else?"
May 3, 2002	Reading Between the Lines on Indiana Unemployment Rates "Unemployment rates in virtually every corner of the state fell in the month of March."
March 29, 2002	Have Unemployment Rates Peaked in Indiana? "The reality for most households is that this simple employment question looms largest in determining our economic well-being."
December 7, 2001	Another Grim Employment Report "Job cuts pushed the overall employment decline beyond the 1.2 million job mark since the recession officially began in March."
September 7, 2001	U.S. Unemployment Rate Rises Significantly "The news of the 0.4 percentage point jump in the national jobless rate will be seen by many as the first real sign that the slowdown that has gripped the U.S. economy since last fall is real."
August 3, 2001	The Indiana Economy at Mid-Year "Those of us who live and breathe economic data are usually one to two months behind the rest of the world."
June 1, 2001	Is the Labor Shortage Over? "The U.S. unemployment rate, even in the teeth of the slowdown, has risen by about half a percentage point. "
May 4, 2001	Do Employment Changes Trail or Lead the U.S. Economy? "In these uncertain economic times, it seems like we can select an optimistic or a pessimistic spin on almost any piece of information we receive."
April 6, 2001	Sour Notes in the March Employment Report "The past six months have not been a particularly rosy time for the U.S. economy."
January 12, 2001	Higher Unemployment Rates Ahead for Indiana "The next few months are going to be difficult for the Indiana manufacturing economy, as it stands first in line to bear the brunt of the slowdown that is rapidly snowballing through the U.S. economy."

Center for Business and Economic Research - Ball State University

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Commentaries tagged with unemployment and the labor market